Only Nine
by Myaku
Summary: A short fic about Spinelli and TJ


**Author's Note**  
I remember the first time I saw Recess. It was a long time ago... probably three years or so. Even now I still watch it. I was watching it today and it was "Parent's Night" and "Swing over to the other side". As I watched, I also remembered an episode where TJ and Spinelli were going to kiss... and it clicked. They would be great together. So, here you go, Spinelli + TJ fans, this is for you.  
  
© "Recess" belongs to Disney  
  
Only Nine  
By Melissa  
  
TJ Detweiler sat on edge, watching the clock slowing inch to his freedom. Five minutes till school was done. Five whole minutes he had to endure of fractions. Fractions! He shuddered and looked down upon his blank ruled sheet of paper. The teacher had given everyone free time in class to work on their mountain of homework.  
  
He glanced at Vince who hurriedly scribbled his math homework down so he'd have extra time to play kick ball after school. Mikey and Gus seemed to mirror Vince in that way and Gretchen sat back in her chair (all ready finished of course) staring contently out the window, also longing for the freedom which would hit them in three minutes.  
  
TJ then looked towards the other side of the tiny class room where Spinelli etched her name rebelliously onto her desk. He grinned sheepishly. That's Spinelli all right. He scanned her profiled face, wondering what she was thinking, if it was the same as himself... Longing for the two minutes to pass quickly. Her math sheet also seemed untouched. They we quite alike sometimes... It was eerie. He understood why some people teased Spinelli and himself about liking each other or something like that. But, come on, he was in fourth grade! Like he *really* cared about that kind of stuff! Well... Sometimes he did...  
  
The truth *was* that he did have a little crush on Spinelli. She was like no other girl in the school. Tough and ready to defend what she believed in. She was kind of pretty too. Just a little bit. And they'd known each other forever! Well, kind of.   
  
These thoughts were dashed aside when the bell sounded loudly throughout the hallways and kids clambered quickly out of the room, leaving trails of dust. Among them, Vince, Mikey, Gus, Gretchen, Spinelli and TJ grouped together. Quickly, they grabbed their bags and rushed out of the school, as if they were breaking the surface of a pool full of water. Greedily, they gasped for air.  
  
"Ready for the game you guys?" Vince was the first to speak. The tall boy produced a red rubber ball and grinned. He was a star kick ball player. Definitely. Powerful legs, excellent coordination. Vince was a jock, no doubt about it.  
  
"We'll make mush outta those fifth graders!" Spinelli cheered, also grinning.  
  
"Wow... Fifth graders... Are you guys really sure we can do it?" Gus peered up over his thick glasses at his friends. They had a lot of faith.  
  
"Don't worry, Gus. We've beat 'em before, we'll do it again," TJ assured the boy.  
  
"They may be tall, but we have the element of speed!" Gretchen said matter-of-factly.  
  
  
Half way through the game, the element of speed didn't seem to be much at their benefit. The group of fourth graders were indeed getting "whooped".  
  
"Man, this sucks," Spinelli growled, gripping the crossed metal fence so hard that her knuckles were barely visible. "Gus! Come on! Kick that ball outta town!!"  
  
"We're not losing that bad," TJ comforted.  
  
"YET," she turned and snarled at him.  
  
He held his hands up in defense. "Whoa, whoa. Calm down." She could be so dramatic at times. It was just a game. And they still had a chance. He decided to shatter her icy exterior. "That's a nice hat, Spinelli. Is it new?"  
  
She eyed him carefully. "No, I've had it for two years."  
  
"Oooh," He muttered. 'Yeah, that's right. Smooth move Teege.'  
  
Spinelli felt a little uncomfortable now. Why had he just said that? Was he trying to be nice or something? She was so confused. He had... just given her a compliment. Ew. She quickly went to sit beside Mikey. Mikey was so reliable. He'd never give an unwanted compliment.   
  
"Hey Spinelli. Wanna bite of my sandwich? It's peanut butter and jelly."  
  
"No thanks, Mikey," She said quietly, keeping an eye on TJ. He was like a loose cannonball today. May he had lied when he said he was fine when he'd gotten hit with the kickball earlier. That was probably it. Just a few screws loose. Everything would be all right tomorrow.  
  
  
But it wasn't.  
  
All day, TJ kept smiling at her and giving her praise on one thing or another. It was so disturbing.  
  
"Hey guys," Spinelli started, making sure TJ was still getting his lunch. They were all seated around their usual table in the cafeteria. "Have you noticed anything strange about TJ?"  
  
"Not really. Just maybe that he's a little nicer then usually," Vince shrugged. "Why?"  
  
"Ahha! Something weird is going on. Maybe it's a bet or something. But he's acting a little *too* nice."  
  
"Spinelli, I think you're letting the paranoia get to you," Gretchen said, as she munched away on her bizarre lunch.  
  
"He's gotten to you," The tough girl looked so uneasy that her friends glanced at each other worriedly. "He gotten to you! You know something!! Well, I'm going to find out! Do you hear me?! I'm going to find out!!!!"  
  
"Find out what, Spinelli?" TJ came up beside her with his tray in hand.  
  
"AHHHHH!!!" She snapped and ran screaming like a banshee out of the cafeteria.  
  
"What's with her?" TJ questioned.  
  
"Hey TJ, what's up with you? Why've you been so nice lately?"  
  
"What are you guys talking about?"  
  
"Come on, give it up, man," Vince sighed and shook his head. "We've noticed something."  
  
"Okay, okay..." TJ frowned. "But don't tell Spinelli okay? Well..."  
  
  
For the rest of the day, Spinelli had avoided her friends. She feared the unknown. Were they telling secrets behind her back? Some friends. She hated to stoop so low...  
  
"You called, Spinelli?"  
  
"Shh! Shh! Keep it down, will ya?!" She hissed. "I've got a favor to ask of you."  
  
"All favors come at a price, Spinelli, you know that," The boy's voice rattled.  
  
She was afraid of that. "Name it."  
  
"You sit with me, and ONLY me at lunch for the next two weeks."  
  
"No way, you weasel!!" She grabbed the collar of his steel blue shirt and shook him hard, positioning her fist.  
  
"All right! All right! One week!!!" He squeaked, squirming in her iron grip.  
  
She loosened, enough for him to break free. One week wasn't that bad... And she really needed to know. "Fine Randal, this is what I want you to do..."  
  
  
Sunday approached and so had church. Now that she knew, she didn't know how she'd react when she saw TJ at church.  
  
'I bet that stupid kid was lying just so he could sit with me,' She grimaced at the thought. But then again, she wasn't sure. It was completely wrong. TJ... "liking" her. Yuck. They'd known each other for so long. And she wasn't that kind of girl. She was only nine! She didn't think that far ahead in life. Heck, she didn't even think about who she'd beat up next Tuesday. It was all happening so fast that her head spun.  
  
"Ashley, honey, time for church!" Her mother called to her jovially. The words were full of song, but to her, they were venom filled and she knew she was heading for her execution.  
  
  
When the Spinellis reached the old rickety church, they bumped into the Detweilers.  
  
"Hi Spinelli!" TJ said cheerfully. There was a sparkle in his dark eyes that made Spinelli shiver.   
  
"Hi," she muttered almost under her breath. She quickly made her way into the church to avoid any further confrontations.  
  
'This is stupid,' she thought as she mercilessly kicked a pillar. 'How come *he* has to like me?! Does he know...' She shook her head. "No, no way. I've only ever told my mom." She paused. "Parents' Night." She swallowed hard remembering the ultimate humiliation she had suffered. She was only nine! She didn't need this pressure!  
  
"Hey Spinelli, are you okay?" Came an all too familiar voice.  
  
'No, no, no, go away TJ. I can't face you right now.'  
  
"Spinelli?"  
  
"I'm fine!" She growled and sharply walked out of the side door.   
  
TJ was one of her best friends. Why did this have to happen?  
  
"Spinelli, you're not fine. I can tell. What's wrong?" TJ put a concerned hand on his friend's shoulder.  
  
"I'm FINE!!" She repeated and ripped away from him, nearly tearing his arm off in the process. She let out an almost never ending sigh as she plopped onto the concrete step full force. This was getting her no where. She couldn't just evade him forever. She needed to talk. "TJ, I heard a rumor."  
  
"What? What about?" TJ said down beside her. 'Please, please don't be what I think it's about...'  
  
"It's about... you... and... me... and you..." She couldn't say it. For the first time for as long as she could remember, she felt angry at herself for being shy about this kind of stuff.  
  
"Who told you?" He sighed glumly. 'Well, this is it. Might as well tell her.' If her silence was a sound it would have echoed for days. "All right, all right. Spinelli, there's something I need to tell you... I... kind of like you."  
  
"I kind of like you too, TJ."  
  
"What?!" TJ cried in shock. But the real surprised one was Spinelli.  
  
'I can't believe I just said that! I'll never live it down!' She clamped a hand over her mouth and felt so nauseated she feared to move.  
  
"Okay, look," TJ tried to make this easier. "We're only nine. We've got a lot of time to figure this out."  
  
"You're right," Spinelli concluded. Maybe everything WAS going to be all right.  
  
"Still friends?" TJ smiled and held out a hand.  
  
"I guess," Spinelli shook. Then it happened, their eyes finally locked in a fiery gaze. They both knew they'd have to try it or they'd live in discomfort for as long as their friendship endured. With their hands still entwined, they leaned forward in unison and their lips brushed together slightly. Feathery and soft, they kissed. Then it was over.  
  
They grinned.  
  
"That was so gross," TJ said broadly.  
  
"Yeah, so lets just be friends," Spinelli concluded.  
  
"You bet!" TJ laughed. "Hey, everyone is getting together for another game of kick ball tomorrow after school against the fifth graders again. We could really use you!"  
  
"Yeah! We'll show 'em that they can't beat us twice!" Spinelli cheered. "I'll see ya inside," she added and leapt up and back into the church.  
  
TJ smiled for a moment, hugging his knees.   
  
Everything was fine again. Maybe it was natural to have feelings for Spinelli, just because they were best friends and knew each other inside out. But hey, they were only nine.  
  
-END  
  
**Author's Note**  
Well, that was pretty bad. This was my first Recess fic ever. I had to do it. I mean the Spinelli and TJ thing. Sorry to all those that don't like the idea. Oh Geez, this was so badly written... Oh well, Read and Review please!  
  
Comments? Questions? Evil hate mail because you hated it so much that the fanfiction.net comment system isn't enough to voice all the dissing? Email me: selphie@metallic-wings.net  



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